[LincolnTalk] Lincoln Public School Expenditures

[Paul Blanchfield]

As I did In November 2022 re Lincoln Population & Comparative Taxes, I’d
like to clarify some information on Lincoln Talk, specifically as it
relates to the Lincoln Public School expenditures. This is a complicated
area so apologies for the length / detail. Quick summary up-front for those
less interested in the full detail. Note these are my individual views and
do not necessarily reflect those of the Town Finance Committee.



*Summary*

-Lincoln Campus K-8 has a FY23 Operating Budget per Enrolled
Student of ~$25.4K.

-This is 6% higher than comparable districts (Carlisle, Dover,
Sherborn) and 11% higher if you include Concord and Sudbury

-The largest drivers of this 11% higher expense vs. peer towns
appears to be school size and teacher tenure

-Enrolled students, not resident students, is the appropriate
denominator / metric as that is how we run our schools

-Non-allocated costs (e.g., pensions & insurance) have generally
grown with inflation in the last 10 years



*Lincoln** Public School Expenditures*

The School Committee and Administration regularly report on School
Expenditures as part of the annual budget process, including at Annual Town
Meeting. For FY23, the Operating Budget for Lincoln Campus was $14.2M, 89%
of which is covered by Lincoln Town Appropriations, and this funds the
education of ~558 enrolled students, which equates to ~$25.4K per student.
Hanscom Campus had an Operating Budget of $18.0M, 95% of which is covered
by the Department of Defense Contract, and this funds the education of an
estimated 541 students, which equates to $33.3K per student. Combining
Lincoln and Hanscom Campus, Lincoln has a FY23 Operating Budget of $32.2M
and 1,099 enrolled students for ~$29.3k per student.



*Comparative Expenditures*

While municipal financial comparisons can be imprecise, there is some
comparison data out there. Carlisle School Committee provides a district
comparison
 on
an annual basis that provides some useful comparisons of like towns. For
FY20 (the most recent comparison they provide), the report shows the
average per pupil cost for K-6/8 across Carlisle, Concord, Dover, Sherborn,
and Sudbury is $18.7K.



Lincoln is reported to be $23.9K for FY20 (but this includes both Lincoln
Campus and Hanscom or 1K+ students). If we adjust for the relative
expenditures of Hanscom and Lincoln Campus’ in FY23 noted above (FY20 was
not that different a split), it suggests that *Lincoln spends ~11% more per
student than those towns noted above*. However, if you focus on like-sized
districts (e.g., Carlisle, Dover, Sherborn) with less than 650
students, *Lincoln
spends 6% more per student than those like-sized districts as of FY20*.
This stands in stark contrast to the 2:1 ratio put out on Lincoln Talk.



*Comparative Drivers*

If we want to understand what may drive the ~11% increased expense per
student, benchmarks become even more confounding and are more directional
than exact. While the below is not exhaustive, it appears that *the two
largest drivers of our 11% outsized spend per student are district size and
teacher tenure*. Indeed, Lincoln Campus class size is not materially
different than like-sized districts and Lincoln Campus teacher salaries are
actually lower-per-band than comparable schools.



*School Size*: As noted, Lincoln Campus expenditures per student are:

-*Peer Towns*: ~11% higher than the average of Carlisle (K-8),
Concord (K-8), Dover (K-6), Sherborn (K-6), and Sudbury (K-8);

-*Comparably Sized Districts*: ~6% higher than the average of
Carlisle, Dover, and Sherborn;

-*Larger Sized Districts*: 21% higher than the average of Concord
(~2,700 students) and Sudbury (~2,700 students).



Clearly there are scale advantages to having a larger district and it
appears that the size of our Lincoln School district could explain ~5% of
the 11% difference in spend per student. This is directional and I do not
mean to assign such exact numbers, but it is how the math works out. I
would also note that the DESE School Profiles Site
 provides comparisons
and the differences are comparable to the above (e.g., 2021 data suggests
we’re 7% higher than like-sized districts of Carlisle, Dover, and Sherborn).



*Teacher Tenure*: In engaging with School Administrators, I’ve learned that
as of FY23, the Lincoln Campus has ~50% of Staff at the Top Step (#17 of a
range of 1-17) and ~45% of Staff in the Top 3 Grades (of 5 Grades). Steps
are correlated with tenure while Grades are correlated with Educational
Experience. While I don’t have great benchmarks and would defer to the
School Committee and Administration, having a more tenured teaching staff
will drive increased costs versus a staff that is more evenly distributed
across steps. That said, while I am not an expert, I would note the
available research

[LincolnTalk] Supt. candidate forum tonight 6 PM

[Susan Taylor]

This is a reminder of the forum for all LPS parents and community members at 
6:00 pm in the Lincoln Auditorium to meet with the fourth candidate for 
District Superintendent. Jessica Rose is currently assistant superintendent of 
Lincoln Public Schools. Those unable to attend the forum in person can watch 
live via Zoom:
Thursday, January 26, 6pm – Jessica Rose Zoom Link 

During this forum, the finalists will introduce themselves, provide a brief 
statement of their interest in the position, then engage in a conversation with 
those present. This time is not to be an interview, but rather an exchange of 
questions and ideas.  While we may ask the finalist questions, the finalist may 
wish to ask those present questions as well.   If you are unable to attend, you 
can submit a question for the moderator to ask, if there is time available.  To 
submit a question, please use the following LINK 
.
  

After interacting with each finalist, we hope you will complete the feedback 
form for each finalist you meet. The links to the form will be available at the 
time of the forum. All feedback will be shared with the School Committee to 
help inform their ultimate decision on the next Superintendent. 

To view the finalists' resumes and learn more about the Superintendent search 
process, please visit https://www.lincnet.org/suptsearch 
.

 
Susan Hands Taylor
svhtay...@comcast.net
781-259-9569




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Re: [LincolnTalk] Lincoln Public School Expenditures

[Virginia Goodwin]

Thank you so much for putting this together Paul. I appreciate how clearly
you've laid it all out.

And thank you to Andy for crunching the numbers independently and arriving
at a remarkably accurate number. I appreciate how much effort it takes to
do that analysis, time which I personally was not willing to spend.

I just want to say that I don't really care exactly how we stack up against
neighboring towns. There are myriad ways Lincoln is different from other
towns (our much vaunted rural character, for example), and if we're not
looking at all the ways Lincoln is different or similar to other towns,
then I don't think it's a great use of our time to try to nitpick the
school budget comparison.

I am extremely happy with the schools. My children are receiving an
excellent education. They are more advanced, academically, than I was at
the same age, and the teachers and staff have been responsive and
supportive of any perceived hiccups in the road. From another angle, I was
concerned that we would not be able to fill our open superintendent
position, given how many educators are leaving the profession across the
country. Instead we have four excellent candidates. I take that as an
indication that Lincoln is providing a high quality educational
environment, not just for the children (which I observe directly), but also
for the staff, which is equally important.

Thanks again to all who were willing to take the time to provide accurate,
current data for all of us.

Best,
Virginia

On Thu, Jan 26, 2023 at 8:26 AM Paul Blanchfield 
wrote:

> As I did In November 2022 re Lincoln Population & Comparative Taxes, I’d
> like to clarify some information on Lincoln Talk, specifically as it
> relates to the Lincoln Public School expenditures. This is a complicated
> area so apologies for the length / detail. Quick summary up-front for those
> less interested in the full detail. Note these are my individual views and
> do not necessarily reflect those of the Town Finance Committee.
>
>
>
> *Summary*
>
> -Lincoln Campus K-8 has a FY23 Operating Budget per Enrolled
> Student of ~$25.4K.
>
> -This is 6% higher than comparable districts (Carlisle, Dover,
> Sherborn) and 11% higher if you include Concord and Sudbury
>
> -The largest drivers of this 11% higher expense vs. peer towns
> appears to be school size and teacher tenure
>
> -Enrolled students, not resident students, is the appropriate
> denominator / metric as that is how we run our schools
>
> -Non-allocated costs (e.g., pensions & insurance) have generally
> grown with inflation in the last 10 years
>
>
>
> *Lincoln** Public School Expenditures*
>
> The School Committee and Administration regularly report on School
> Expenditures as part of the annual budget process, including at Annual Town
> Meeting. For FY23, the Operating Budget for Lincoln Campus was $14.2M, 89%
> of which is covered by Lincoln Town Appropriations, and this funds the
> education of ~558 enrolled students, which equates to ~$25.4K per student.
> Hanscom Campus had an Operating Budget of $18.0M, 95% of which is covered
> by the Department of Defense Contract, and this funds the education of an
> estimated 541 students, which equates to $33.3K per student. Combining
> Lincoln and Hanscom Campus, Lincoln has a FY23 Operating Budget of $32.2M
> and 1,099 enrolled students for ~$29.3k per student.
>
>
>
> *Comparative Expenditures*
>
> While municipal financial comparisons can be imprecise, there is some
> comparison data out there. Carlisle School Committee provides a district
> comparison
> 
> on an annual basis that provides some useful comparisons of like towns. For
> FY20 (the most recent comparison they provide), the report shows the
> average per pupil cost for K-6/8 across Carlisle, Concord, Dover, Sherborn,
> and Sudbury is $18.7K.
>
>
>
> Lincoln is reported to be $23.9K for FY20 (but this includes both Lincoln
> Campus and Hanscom or 1K+ students). If we adjust for the relative
> expenditures of Hanscom and Lincoln Campus’ in FY23 noted above (FY20 was
> not that different a split), it suggests that *Lincoln spends ~11% more
> per student than those towns noted above*. However, if you focus on
> like-sized districts (e.g., Carlisle, Dover, Sherborn) with less than 650
> students, *Lincoln spends 6% more per student than those like-sized
> districts as of FY20*. This stands in stark contrast to the 2:1 ratio put
> out on Lincoln Talk.
>
>
>
> *Comparative Drivers*
>
> If we want to understand what may drive the ~11% increased expense per
> student, benchmarks become even more confounding and are more directional
> than exact. While the below is not exhaustive, it appears that *the two
> largest drivers of our 11% outsized spend per student are district size and
> teacher tenure*. Indeed, Lincoln Campus class size is not materially
> different than like-sized districts and Linco

[LincolnTalk] LPS Budget vote tonight 7:15PM

[Susan Taylor]

At tonight's School Committee meeting, there will be a vote to approve the FY24 
School Budget, an Update on Learning Walks and Framework for Learning, a vote 
to approve the Draft Annual Lincoln Town Report and a Superintendent Mid-Cycle 
Report on Progress Towards Goals.
Members of the public can watch live streaming via Zoom Webinar 

 or on local access channels 8 and 13.

Anyone interested in participating in the Public Comment portion of this 
meeting, please email jmaclachlan-schoolc...@lincnet.org 
 anytime prior to 3pm the day of the 
meeting and you will be sent log-in instructions. To see the full agenda click 
here 
.


Susan Hands Taylor
svhtay...@comcast.net
781-259-9569




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[LincolnTalk] ServSafe Manager Certified Volunteer Needed

[Julia Walkup]

The Lincoln Girl Scouts Pancake Breakfast needs a volunteer who has a
ServSafe Manager Certification in order to hold the event. Do you or
someone you know have this certification and are willing to help out on
February 4th from 8-11am?

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated!

Best,
Julia Walkup
3rd Grade Girl Scout Troop Leader
213-447-4564
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[LincolnTalk] Jake Lehrhoff for School Committee on our schools, budget, and outcomes Inbox

[Peter Buchthal]

Thank you Jake for engaging in a discussion about our school and the
issues.  Lincoln Talk is a great way for the town's voters to learn more
about the issues our town faces.  Through online debate and open meetings,
hopefully, our town will get better and stronger.

I'm not sure I follow your reasoning.  At one point your email says: "if
you keep hunting for new data, you can inadvertently bend the data to your
will and draw a biased conclusion" but further down you also mention "I am
confident that there is more data out there explaining the value of our
towns investment and the exemplary outcomes for Lincoln K-8 students."

Could you please define "exemplary outcomes" and how would you
approach looking for this new data without drawing a pre-ordained, biased
conclusion that you didn't want to make in your first sentence above.

Do you have other examples in mind when you say that high-schools have a
lower cost per student. Using the DESE data from our neighbors, four out of
five elementary/middle schools have lower cost per student than their
corresponding high-schools.  The DESE data for Lincoln includes Hanscom and
Lincoln together.

[image: Screenshot 2023-01-25 at 10.37.26 PM.png]

This has been debated in the past, but I would argue that  Lincoln's
district is unique because of Hanscom and  a higher percentage METCO
population as both are paid for by third parties.   If you look exclusively
at students paid for by local taxpayers we are way more expensive than
Weston.

Do you think our ultra small class sizes in the middle school is a good use
of taxpayer funds?  We currently have 4 sections each of 7th and 8th
graders where the average class is only 13 students.  Our maximum
recommended  class size in 7th and 8th grade is 24 students.  Why shouldn't
we drop a section in each grade?  Do you think it's possible that  our poor
engagement numbers from our middle schoolers may come from the fact the our
classes are too small and students don't have enough of their friends with
them in class all day?   Do you support rubber stamping next year's school
budget that maintains this year's ultra small classes in our middle
school?   Is there something in our demographics that gives you (and our
other current school committee members) optimism that our middle school
will soon get a significant increase in students that warrants maintaining
4 sections in 6th, 7th and 8th grade?  Only the current 4th graders have 4
sections.  K,1,2,3,5 all are running with 3 sections.

I believe candidates for any elected office should have opinions about what
is going well and what needs improvement in their soon to be governed
organizations.

I admire your optimism that everything is great and the future will only
get better.  But, as a candidate running for school office without ever
having a child in our school, may I suggest you talk to as many parents
with children of different grades as possible so that they share with you
their experiences as a parent at the Lincoln School.  This will allow you
to further develop  priorities and ideas to improve the school.  We all
look forward to learning more from you and asking further questions on the
issues.

Thank you so much,
Peter
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Re: [LincolnTalk] Lincoln School Committee Followup Question

[Ryan F. Hagan]

Thank you, Peter, for voicing your concerns.  I am the father of two young
children.  Our family resides in Lincoln.

The sentiment of this thread gives us pause.  I welcome the opportunity to
sit with you and learn from your experience raising your own children here
in town.

Congratulations and may the year ahead be your best yet.

Sincerely,
Ryan

On Sun, Jan 22, 2023 at 8:18 AM Peter Buchthal  wrote:

>
>
>
> Hi all,
>
>
>
> I am the parent of three young children who attend the Lincoln Public
> School. My wife and I moved to Lincoln right before my eldest was born in
> large part because we believed our children would receive a strong public
> education.  I went to a great public school in NY and there’s no good
> reason why Lincoln shouldn’t have one too.
>
>
>
> I want to thank Karla for sending her letter to the community. If you
> haven’t read it, please do.  It confirms much of what I have observed
> through my children's own experiences. The data, both academic and
> otherwise, is clear: our school is underperforming our outsized
> investment.  *We overspend every town nearly 2:1 to achieve results no
> better than our neighbors.*  In 2012, Lincoln K-8 educated 500 children
> who lived in Lincoln, In 2022 we were down to 412 students from Lincoln, a
> reduction of 20 percent.  *During that time, our K-8 school expenses have
> gone up the maximum allowed, or around 2.5% annually without an override*.
> In 2014 we had 31 K-8 sections, in 2023 with 20% fewer Lincoln students, we
> still have 31 K-8 sections.  Moreover, almost all other school districts in
> the Commonwealth are anticipating further enrollment declines. For
> instance, in Newton, MA, they are planning for a 5% decline in enrollment
> between 2021 and 2026.  With Lincoln's high tax burden and high home costs,
> it is reasonable to assume further enrollment declines.
>
>
>
> *With academic results currently no better than our neighbors, why do we
> continue to overspend on our school when our enrollment continues to
> decline?  Have we reached the point to start to right-size our school
> expenses to lower the tax burden to our community? *
>
>
>
> *It is clear our community needs to reform our school so the level of
> results corresponds to our level of investment.* I am glad to hear we
> already have three candidates competing for two open seats in the School
> Committee. I want to thank Matina, Jake, and Adam for their generosity in
> running for this volunteer role. I hope to use this public forum to ask
> them a very straightforward question:
>
>
>
> Matina, Jake and Adam, as you are all running for the School Committee, *could
> you please share your ideas that will *
>
> *a) reduce the fiscal burden of our schools, *
>
> *b) improve the educational experience of our students, in ways that
> translate both into better academic outcomes and higher student engagement?*
>
>
>
> I look forward to all of your responses. Best of luck to you all.
>
>
>
> Peter Buchthal
>
> 71 Weston Rd
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> .
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Re: [LincolnTalk] ServSafe Manager Certified Volunteer Needed

[Barbara Low]

Why is this necessary? And has this been required in years past?

Barbara

From: Lincoln  on behalf of Julia Walkup 

Sent: Wednesday, January 25, 2023 1:41 PM
To: lincoln@lincolntalk.org 
Subject: [LincolnTalk] ServSafe Manager Certified Volunteer Needed

The Lincoln Girl Scouts Pancake Breakfast needs a volunteer who has a ServSafe 
Manager Certification in order to hold the event. Do you or someone you know 
have this certification and are willing to help out on February 4th from 8-11am?

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated!

Best,
Julia Walkup
3rd Grade Girl Scout Troop Leader
213-447-4564


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[LincolnTalk] FREE Hitchcock Chairs

[Linda McMillan]

I am looking for a home for a pair of Hitchcock Chairs lovingly worn. Or, you 
can take one. One chair needs a new rush seat and wooden side panels. The other 
chair’s rush seat is fine. These chairs were not manufactured by the Hitchcock 
Chair Company. They told me that other manufacturers between the late 19th-mid 
20th century (Ethan Allen, Nichols and Stone) manufactured these chairs in the 
mid-18th century style. The Hitchcock Chair Company could fully restore and 
refinish these chairs (as they do all the time) for $225 a piece ($100 extra 
for a new rush seat), but I find the old patina authentic. I’m offering these 
chairs FREE.

Available for pick-up. 

Linda McMillan
207 Sandy Pond Road
781-835-6295

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Re: [LincolnTalk] Jake Lehrhoff for School Committee on our schools, budget, and outcomes Inbox

[Andy Wang]

I mean, to be fair, having children in the school is not a pre-requisite
for joining school committee.   Adam Hogue has run, been elected, and
faithfully served on the committee for several years and has not had
children in the school yet (I assume he has a high tolerance for pain).
I’m not sure it’s appropriate to imply, without any backing that Jake has
not talked to any parents or to what degree or variation.

As for what Jake thinks…I’m just kidding, I have no idea what he thinks.

Andy


On Thu, Jan 26, 2023 at 10:01 AM Peter Buchthal  wrote:

>
> Thank you Jake for engaging in a discussion about our school and the
> issues.  Lincoln Talk is a great way for the town's voters to learn more
> about the issues our town faces.  Through online debate and open meetings,
> hopefully, our town will get better and stronger.
>
> I'm not sure I follow your reasoning.  At one point your email says: "if
> you keep hunting for new data, you can inadvertently bend the data to your
> will and draw a biased conclusion" but further down you also mention "I am
> confident that there is more data out there explaining the value of our
> towns investment and the exemplary outcomes for Lincoln K-8 students."
>
> Could you please define "exemplary outcomes" and how would you
> approach looking for this new data without drawing a pre-ordained, biased
> conclusion that you didn't want to make in your first sentence above.
>
> Do you have other examples in mind when you say that high-schools have a
> lower cost per student. Using the DESE data from our neighbors, four out of
> five elementary/middle schools have lower cost per student than their
> corresponding high-schools.  The DESE data for Lincoln includes Hanscom and
> Lincoln together.
>
> [image: Screenshot 2023-01-25 at 10.37.26 PM.png]
>
> This has been debated in the past, but I would argue that  Lincoln's
> district is unique because of Hanscom and  a higher percentage METCO
> population as both are paid for by third parties.   If you look exclusively
> at students paid for by local taxpayers we are way more expensive than
> Weston.
>
> Do you think our ultra small class sizes in the middle school is a good
> use of taxpayer funds?  We currently have 4 sections each of 7th and 8th
> graders where the average class is only 13 students.  Our maximum
> recommended  class size in 7th and 8th grade is 24 students.  Why
> shouldn't we drop a section in each grade?  Do you think it's possible
> that  our poor engagement numbers from our middle schoolers may come from
> the fact the our classes are too small and students don't have enough of
> their friends with them in class all day?   Do you support rubber stamping
> next year's school budget that maintains this year's ultra small classes in
> our middle school?   Is there something in our demographics that gives you
> (and our other current school committee members) optimism that our middle
> school will soon get a significant increase in students that warrants
> maintaining 4 sections in 6th, 7th and 8th grade?  Only the current 4th
> graders have 4 sections.  K,1,2,3,5 all are running with 3 sections.
>
> I believe candidates for any elected office should have opinions about
> what is going well and what needs improvement in their soon to be governed
> organizations.
>
> I admire your optimism that everything is great and the future will only
> get better.  But, as a candidate running for school office without ever
> having a child in our school, may I suggest you talk to as many parents
> with children of different grades as possible so that they share with you
> their experiences as a parent at the Lincoln School.  This will allow you
> to further develop  priorities and ideas to improve the school.  We all
> look forward to learning more from you and asking further questions on the
> issues.
>
> Thank you so much,
> Peter
> --
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> To post, send mail to Lincoln@lincolntalk.org.
> Search the archives at http://lincoln.2330058.n4.nabble.com/.
> Browse the archives at https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/
> .
> Change your subscription settings at
> https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln.
>
>
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[LincolnTalk] Conservation Department News - Upcoming Events, Trail Updates, and More!

[Grzenda, Michele]

Greetings,

The Conservation Dept. has a couple of upcoming events and updates we’d like to 
share:

  *   Please join Conservation Staff on one of our events during Winter 
Carnival! (Feb 3-4):
 *   Winter Shrub and Tree ID Walk at Codman Estate: 10am-noon (Both Days) 
- Join Conservation Department staff for a rousing winter walk through the 
woods as we talk about how to identify woody plants – no leaves necessary! 
Participants should wear warm clothes and sturdy shoes. Each walk is limited to 
15 people, please sign up at 
www.tinyurl.com/WinterCarnivalWalks 
 or contact the Conservation Department at 
conservat...@lincolntown.org to sign up.
 *   Enviroscape Tabletop Display: Conservation Dept @ Town Offices - 
Friday,Feb. 3rd Stop by anytime between 3 – 4:15 p.m. (Demo takes about 20 
minutes) - Do you know how pollution affects our drinking water, wetlands, and 
wildlife? Using the Enviroscape Model - a hands-on tabletop display, children 
and families will discover what happens in Lincoln neighborhoods, construction 
sites, farms, and roads during and after a rainstorm!  Participants will learn 
what causes pollution and what can be done to protect our wetlands and 
wildlife. Drop ins are welcome or you may sign up here: 
www.tinyurl.com/WinterCarnivalWalks.
 *   Winter Family Nature Walk - Sat., Feb. 4th 2-3:30 p.m. (trails behind 
Lincoln Elementary School) - Join Will Leona, Lincoln’s Conservation Ranger on 
a winter nature walk! What does winter sound like? Look for signs of winter: 
tracks in the snow (or mud), animal homes in trees, and plants that keep their 
needles all year! The walk is limited to 15 people (children must be 
accompanied by an adult). Please sign up at 
www.tinyurl.com/WinterCarnivalWalks 
or contact the Conservation Department at 
conservat...@lincolntown.org to sign up.
 *   Art on the Trails - Scavenger Hunt (sponsored by Lincoln Land 
Conservation Trust) - Search Lincoln’s trails for nature-themed student art 
creations. More details coming soon at 
www.lincolnconservation.org
 *   Winter Carnival is hosted by the Lincoln Parks & Recreation Committee. 
The full brochure of events can be found 
here.  If you have trouble 
signing up for a conservation event, please email 
conservat...@lincolntown.org and we can 
help you.
  *   We will NOT be hosting a Conservation Coffee in February.  Moving 
forward, we will be hosting our virtual conservation coffee every other month.  
Our next coffee will be Thurs., March 2nd @8am on Beavers and Human Conflicts.  
More info coming soon!


If you missed our January Conservation Coffee about deCordova Sculpture Park 
and Museum (presented by Pilar Garro, from the Trustees of Reservations), you 
can watch a recording of it here.   It’s also 
linked on Lincoln Conservation’s Education-Outreach webpage: 
https://www.lincolntown.org/1385/Education-Outreach


Winter Storms = Fallen trees/branches on Conservation Trails

Even with the winter weather here, we are happy to see lots of residents 
walking Lincoln’s 80 miles of beautiful Conservation Land trails. Help us to 
keep the trails safe for all. If you see branches or fallen trees blocking the 
path, please feel free to be empowered to move them, if safe to do so. If not, 
just let us know and we will take care of it. The Conservation Department can 
be reached at conservat...@lincolntown.org 
or 781-259-2612 (sending us a screen shot of your location and a photo of the 
tree down is helpful!).

Winter Trail Etiquette

Fresh air and peace and quiet do wonders! When the snow is just right, take 
your cross-country skis, snowshoes or fat tire bike out on our shared-use 
trails and please follow these courtesies so all can enjoy the great outdoors.

  *   Walk, snowshoe or bike (if allowed) next to tracks that skiers have 
already laid out (footprints and bike ruts spoil the tracks).
  *   If you create a divot, please repair for everyone’s safety.
  *   If you are on a fat bike (where allowed) and leave a rut deeper than an 
inch or are having a difficult time riding in a straight line, then the snow is 
simply too soft for riding.
  *   Remember, bikes yield to skiers and everyone yields to horses.
  *   Dog walkers must ALWAYS pick up dog poop. Please don’t pollute the snow 
or trails with this unsightly waste.
  *   Please respect other trail users and our wildlife.
  *   A complete list of Lincoln’s trail rules can be found here: 
https://www.lincolntown.org/1381/Trail-Rules

Great Backyard Bird Count-Save the Date: February 17-20, 2023

Each February, the world comes togeth

[LincolnTalk] Valentine Love Songs, Pierce House, Sunday, Feb 5, 3-5pm, Winter Carnival

[Lincoln Garden Club]

The LINCOLN GARDEN CLUB invites our Lincoln neighbors to come in 
out-of-the-cold, and cozy up with a warm drink, sweet treat, and some romantic 
music.
Valentine Love Songs & Dessert / Peter Stewart on Piano at the Pierce House: 
Feb 5, 3-5 pm.
Free Event-Winter Carnival Activity-- 
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[LincolnTalk] MAPC webinar about the Opt-In Specialized Stretch Code

[Jennifer Glass via Lincoln]

Hi LincolnTalk,

Below is information from the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC). MAPC 
is a regional planning resource that facilitates communication and 
collaboration between towns and cities. It also provides technical expertise 
and training on a variety of topics. Currently, the Town is working with MAPC 
to develop a Climate Action Plan. 

You may have read in the Select Board newsletter 

 that we will be voting on two warrant articles related to the building code 
this year: 1) a vote to adopt the state’s new Opt-in Specialized Stretch Code; 
and 2) a vote to adopt a Fossil Fuel Free bylaw as part of a 10-town state 
pilot program. On February 14th, MAPC is offering a webinar focused on the 
Specialized Stretch Code which is open to the public. Scroll down to click on 
the registration link.

Also, on March 1st, MAPC is offering a webinar on MassSave Electrification 
Incentives.

All MAPC meetings and webinars are open to the public and are usually recorded. 
You can find a variety of prior resources here 
.

- Jennifer

> Mark Your Calendars.
> 
>  
> 
>  
> Metropolitan Area Planning Council's
> Winter 2023Council Meeting
>  
>  
> Save the Date!
> Thursday, March 2
>  
> Zoom Meeting
> 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
>  
> Register Here 
> 
>
>   
> The Metropolitan Area Planning Council's Winter 2023 Council Meeting is 
> coming up on Thursday, March 2.
>  
> We'll send more details soon on what to expect: for now, please register and 
> add the date to your calendar.
>  
> We encourage you to also join us for some of the upcoming events noted below!
>  
> Upcoming Events
> Webinar Series
> Substance Use in Massachusetts: Regional Paths to Prevention and Recovery
> Wednesday, January 11, 2023 | 9:30 a.m. - completed
> Understanding the Substance Use Landscape
> Watch Recording 
> 
>  
> Wednesday, February 8, 2023 | 9:30 a.m.
> Shared Challenges and Best Practices
> Register 
> 
>  
> Wednesday, March 8, 2023 | 9:30 a.m.
> Solutions and Funding: Where Do We Go From Here?
> Register 
> 
>  
> 
> Webinar Series
> Codes for Climate Webinar Series
> Tuesday, February 14, 2023 | 12 p.m.
> Specialized Stretch Code and Municipal Adoption
> Register 
> 
>  
> Wednesday, March 1, 2023 | 12 p.m.
> Mass Save Electrification Incentives Webinar
> Register 
> 
>  
> 
> Webinar
> Land, Economy, Opportunity: Industrial Land Supply and Demand in Greater 
> Boston
> Thursday, February 16, 2023 | 2 p.m.
> Register 
> 

[LincolnTalk] ISO seats for kitchen table

[Stacey Sawyer-Mackie via Lincoln]

Hello LT. Well, it finally happened. I was sitting on my chair while on the 
phone, it broke because it was so old and unstable, and I landed on the floor. 
Luckily, I landed on my rear end! With this in mind, does anyone have 2 extra 
kitchen or dinette chairs no longer in use? I need 2 because the second chair 
is also dangerous. Thanks.-- 
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Re: [LincolnTalk] Jake Lehrhoff for School Committee on our schools, budget, and outcomes Inbox

[Barbara Low]

I've been following the recent discussion about the Lincoln Public School.  My 
youngest is now 35, so my days of following the school and school committee on 
a continuing basis are long gone. (And I purchase much less Milanta than I used 
to.)

I looked at the October 1, 2022 Lincoln Class Enrollment document. Perhaps 
those October 1 numbers are not still current, but I was pretty shocked with 
the numbers I saw.

Grade 5 has 52 students divided in 3 sections of about 17 students each.
Grade 6 has 60 students in 4 sections of 15 each
Grades 7 and 8 have 52 students each in 4 sections each for an average class 
size of 13 each.

I served eons ago on the class size subcommittee of the school committee. My 
memory has faded somewhat with age, but no grade was recommended to be 15 or 13 
students per section. The maximum for grades 6-8 is 24. While we don't need to 
hit the maximum, the existing numbers are nuts!

As the cost to run the school system is quite large, not including our debt to 
pay for a $93+ million school project, I would hope the school staff and 
administration will look long and hard at the reasonableness of these small 
class sizes and give some thought to the tax payers who fund them.

Barbara Low



From: Lincoln  on behalf of Peter Buchthal 

Sent: Thursday, January 26, 2023 7:44 AM
To: lincoln@lincolntalk.org 
Subject: [LincolnTalk] Jake Lehrhoff for School Committee on our schools, 
budget, and outcomes Inbox


Thank you Jake for engaging in a discussion about our school and the issues.  
Lincoln Talk is a great way for the town's voters to learn more about the 
issues our town faces.  Through online debate and open meetings, hopefully, our 
town will get better and stronger.

I'm not sure I follow your reasoning.  At one point your email says: "if you 
keep hunting for new data, you can inadvertently bend the data to your will and 
draw a biased conclusion" but further down you also mention "I am confident 
that there is more data out there explaining the value of our towns investment 
and the exemplary outcomes for Lincoln K-8 students."

Could you please define "exemplary outcomes" and how would you approach looking 
for this new data without drawing a pre-ordained, biased conclusion that you 
didn't want to make in your first sentence above.

Do you have other examples in mind when you say that high-schools have a lower 
cost per student. Using the DESE data from our neighbors, four out of five 
elementary/middle schools have lower cost per student than their corresponding 
high-schools.  The DESE data for Lincoln includes Hanscom and Lincoln together.

[Screenshot 2023-01-25 at 10.37.26 PM.png]

This has been debated in the past, but I would argue that  Lincoln's district 
is unique because of Hanscom and  a higher percentage METCO population as both 
are paid for by third parties.   If you look exclusively at students paid for 
by local taxpayers we are way more expensive than Weston.

Do you think our ultra small class sizes in the middle school is a good use of 
taxpayer funds?  We currently have 4 sections each of 7th and 8th graders where 
the average class is only 13 students.  Our maximum recommended  class size in 
7th and 8th grade is 24 students.  Why shouldn't we drop a section in each 
grade?  Do you think it's possible that  our poor engagement numbers from our 
middle schoolers may come from the fact the our classes are too small and 
students don't have enough of their friends with them in class all day?   Do 
you support rubber stamping next year's school budget that maintains this 
year's ultra small classes in our middle school?   Is there something in our 
demographics that gives you (and our other current school committee members) 
optimism that our middle school will soon get a significant increase in 
students that warrants maintaining 4 sections in 6th, 7th and 8th grade?  Only 
the current 4th graders have 4 sections.  K,1,2,3,5 all are running with 3 
sections.

I believe candidates for any elected office should have opinions about what is 
going well and what needs improvement in their soon to be governed 
organizations.

I admire your optimism that everything is great and the future will only get 
better.  But, as a candidate running for school office without ever having a 
child in our school, may I suggest you talk to as many parents with children of 
different grades as possible so that they share with you their experiences as a 
parent at the Lincoln School.  This will allow you to further develop  
priorities and ideas to improve the school.  We all look forward to learning 
more from you and asking further questions on the issues.

Thank you so much,
Peter
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Re: [LincolnTalk] Jake Lehrhoff for School Committee on our schools, budget, and outcomes Inbox

[Andrew Payne]

Barbara L. wrote:

Grade 5 has 52 students divided in 3 sections of about *17 *students each.
>
> Grade 6 has 60 students in 4 sections of *15* each
>
> Grades 7 and 8 have 52 students each in 4 sections each for an average
> class size of *13* each.
>

This underscores the challenges (and costs) of running a small district
such as ours.

If we cut one section from Grade 5, we end up with 2 sections with 26
students each.

Teachers are not completely fungible - cutting a section THIS year may not
make sense if there's a large grade coming next year.  Look at our current
enrollments:  we've got 46 in K and 74 (!) in 4th grade this year.

For the middle school grades, there are four core subject areas:  math,
English, science, and social studies.  Cutting a science teacher (say) this
year and having (say) the math teacher cover science, only to have to
re-hire a science teacher back in 2 years -- not a great strategy.
Locating, recruiting, and retaining strong dual-subject teachers is not
always possible or practical.

My general point on this general topic, respectfully:  numbers on a table
don't always reflect the constraints and realities of actually running our
school.  Details matter.

One "in my day it was Jr. High school" resident's view,

-andy
https://payne.org/lt-disclaimer/
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Re: [LincolnTalk] Jake Lehrhoff for School Committee on our schools, budget, and outcomes Inbox

[Barbara Low]

I was not suggesting that grade 5 should be reduced to 2 sections. But 7 and 8 
have the same number of kids and 4 sections.

Is it not possible for a subject specialist in the middle school to teach both 
7th and 8th grades? 13 kids per class is off the scale! Eliminating a staff 
member then having to replace in a couple of years may not be optimal, but 
neither are classes of 13 kids and the cost to staff these tiny sections. There 
has to be some middle ground that works.

Barbara

From: Andrew Payne 
Sent: Thursday, January 26, 2023 6:13 PM
To: Barbara Low ; lincoln@lincolntalk.org 

Subject: Re: [LincolnTalk] Jake Lehrhoff for School Committee on our schools, 
budget, and outcomes Inbox

Barbara L. wrote:


Grade 5 has 52 students divided in 3 sections of about 17 students each.

Grade 6 has 60 students in 4 sections of 15 each

Grades 7 and 8 have 52 students each in 4 sections each for an average class 
size of 13 each.

This underscores the challenges (and costs) of running a small district such as 
ours.

If we cut one section from Grade 5, we end up with 2 sections with 26 students 
each.

Teachers are not completely fungible - cutting a section THIS year may not make 
sense if there's a large grade coming next year.  Look at our current 
enrollments:  we've got 46 in K and 74 (!) in 4th grade this year.

For the middle school grades, there are four core subject areas:  math, 
English, science, and social studies.  Cutting a science teacher (say) this 
year and having (say) the math teacher cover science, only to have to re-hire a 
science teacher back in 2 years -- not a great strategy.  Locating, recruiting, 
and retaining strong dual-subject teachers is not always possible or practical.

My general point on this general topic, respectfully:  numbers on a table don't 
always reflect the constraints and realities of actually running our school.  
Details matter.

One "in my day it was Jr. High school" resident's view,

-andy
https://payne.org/lt-disclaimer/
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Re: [LincolnTalk] Jake Lehrhoff for School Committee on our schools, budget, and outcomes Inbox

[Cathie Bitter]

FYI-  7th grade has 4 homerooms/advisories, but there are only 3 sections for 
each subject area. So I don’t think the class sizes are 13. Some teachers teach 
across grade levels or subject areas.
> 
> On Jan 26, 2023, at 6:14 PM, Andrew Payne  wrote:
> 
> 
> Barbara L. wrote:
> 
>> Grade 5 has 52 students divided in 3 sections of about 17 students each. 
>> Grade 6 has 60 students in 4 sections of 15 each 
>> Grades 7 and 8 have 52 students each in 4 sections each for an average class 
>> size of 13 each. 
> 
> This underscores the challenges (and costs) of running a small district such 
> as ours.
> 
> If we cut one section from Grade 5, we end up with 2 sections with 26 
> students each. 
> 
> Teachers are not completely fungible - cutting a section THIS year may not 
> make sense if there's a large grade coming next year.  Look at our current 
> enrollments:  we've got 46 in K and 74 (!) in 4th grade this year.  
> 
> For the middle school grades, there are four core subject areas:  math, 
> English, science, and social studies.  Cutting a science teacher (say) this 
> year and having (say) the math teacher cover science, only to have to re-hire 
> a science teacher back in 2 years -- not a great strategy.  Locating, 
> recruiting, and retaining strong dual-subject teachers is not always possible 
> or practical.
> 
> My general point on this general topic, respectfully:  numbers on a table 
> don't always reflect the constraints and realities of actually running our 
> school.  Details matter.
> 
> One "in my day it was Jr. High school" resident's view, 
> 
> -andy
> https://payne.org/lt-disclaimer/
> -- 
> The LincolnTalk mailing list.
> To post, send mail to Lincoln@lincolntalk.org.
> Search the archives at http://lincoln.2330058.n4.nabble.com/.
> Browse the archives at https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/.
> Change your subscription settings at 
> https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln.
> 
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[LincolnTalk] LS Superintendent Survey - reposting

[Heather Cowap]

We on the Lincoln-Sudbury Regional District School Committee are opening up
our Superintendent Search Survey again for the residents of Lincoln after
hearing feedback of difficulties finding a way to participate the first
time.  The survey will remain open until January 30th and we urge all
residents to participate.  We know you share our sense of urgency about the
importance of finding the best new leader for Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High
School.

Thanks in advance for your participation in this.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/866VGL8
*Heather-Jeanne Cowap, MS, MEd,RSM*
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Re: [LincolnTalk] Jake Lehrhoff for School Committee on our schools, budget, and outcomes Inbox

[Barbara Low]

That is good to see. That is not indicated in the Enrollment report.

From: Cathie Bitter 
Sent: Thursday, January 26, 2023 6:24 PM
To: Andrew Payne 
Cc: Barbara Low ; lincoln@lincolntalk.org 

Subject: Re: [LincolnTalk] Jake Lehrhoff for School Committee on our schools, 
budget, and outcomes Inbox

FYI-  7th grade has 4 homerooms/advisories, but there are only 3 sections for 
each subject area. So I don’t think the class sizes are 13. Some teachers teach 
across grade levels or subject areas.

On Jan 26, 2023, at 6:14 PM, Andrew Payne  wrote:


Barbara L. wrote:


Grade 5 has 52 students divided in 3 sections of about 17 students each.

Grade 6 has 60 students in 4 sections of 15 each

Grades 7 and 8 have 52 students each in 4 sections each for an average class 
size of 13 each.

This underscores the challenges (and costs) of running a small district such as 
ours.

If we cut one section from Grade 5, we end up with 2 sections with 26 students 
each.

Teachers are not completely fungible - cutting a section THIS year may not make 
sense if there's a large grade coming next year.  Look at our current 
enrollments:  we've got 46 in K and 74 (!) in 4th grade this year.

For the middle school grades, there are four core subject areas:  math, 
English, science, and social studies.  Cutting a science teacher (say) this 
year and having (say) the math teacher cover science, only to have to re-hire a 
science teacher back in 2 years -- not a great strategy.  Locating, recruiting, 
and retaining strong dual-subject teachers is not always possible or practical.

My general point on this general topic, respectfully:  numbers on a table don't 
always reflect the constraints and realities of actually running our school.  
Details matter.

One "in my day it was Jr. High school" resident's view,

-andy
https://payne.org/lt-disclaimer/
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[LincolnTalk] School Superintendent search meetings.

[Sara Mattes]

Can someone help me find a link to recording to these public meetings?

Many thanks,
Sara
--
Sara Mattes




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